Offshore oil workers who expressed concerns about flying were told to put on
their “big boy pants” or give up working in the industry days before a
helicopter left their platform and crashed with the loss of four lives.

(top L-R) Sarah Darnley, George Allison, (bottom L-R) Gary McCrossan and Duncan Munro died in the helicopter crash off the coast of Shetland in August 2013

The blunt advice was given to workers on the Borgsten Dolphin rig during a briefing that was meant to reassure them about the safety of the Super Puma EC225 aircraft, which was allowed to return to service two weeks ago.

It was involved in two ditching incidents last year, and another incident in 2009, and was taken out of service for several months. It has now been grounded again, along with other Super Puma models, including the AS332 L2 model of the type that crashed near Shetland on Friday, killing three men and one woman.

Fourteen people survived, but the fifth incident and the 20th death in just over four years in the North Sea has led to heightened concerns over the safety of all Eurocopter Super Pumas.

The talk was given to workers on the Borgsten Dolphin on August 8 by officials from the oil firm Total and the helicopter operator CHC, whose aircraft crashed last week.

A recording of the event, featuring CHC’s chief pilot Will Hanekom, and managers from Total, including the head of logistics Christophe Barber, reveals that one worker asked what the oil company would do if workers refused to board an aircraft.

According to the Press and Journal newspaper, a CHC representative said: "I have to say, how else are we going to get there? It is what we do. At some point we have to put our big boy pants on and say either 'we believe', either what I am telling you is the truth and I'm willing to sit in the front and risk my family and everything that I have got. If you don't, well, I wouldn't force any of my pilots to fly if they didn't want to."

During the same conversation an official from Total told workers: "I am hoping we won't get there. I hope we get to the point where we have information so you say, 'I understand there was a problem. But I understand that the gearbox is now safe'."

The worker said: "Every man I have spoken to says they don't want to get on one."

Survivors arrive in Shetland

He was told: "But every man you have spoken to hasn't heard what I had to say. Five months ago every pilot would not have flown this helicopter. But now we know this, our story has changed."

Another official added: "It makes no difference whether you can go on EC225, an L2 an S92 or any other helicopter. You're taking the same risk.

"If you can't live with that risk then you can't work offshore. If you say 'I'm not getting on that EC225, I'll wait for the next one', the next one has the same risk associated."

CHC said it understood how the comments may look, following Friday’s accident, but said they had been taken “completely out of context”.

A spokesman said the pilot involved was “speaking from the heart”, adding: “If people heard the whole recording they would understand this pilot was trying to get his message across as a fellow North Sea worker and not a corporate spokesperson.

“This was his genuine, personal endorsement of the aircraft. He was demonstrating his confidence in the EC225. He acknowledged the risks facing them all in getting to, working on and getting home from rigs.

“He spoke about his family and how he wouldn’t risk his own wellbeing, and neither should they. His talk was well-received and several offshore workers came up to him afterwards and commended him.”

However, Jake Molloy, RMT's Regional Organiser, said the comments were "out of order", adding: “It's an appalling statement to make to anybody at anytime, whether it was before or after Friday's incident. If anybody has any concerns about flying on helicopters, they should be given support if required. It's poor, poor management."

Tommy Campbell, of the Unite union, said the comment was insensitive, lacking in compassion and amounted to telling workers, “If you don't like it, you can lump it”.

He added: “In light of what has actually happened on Friday night, it's an outrageous statement and I would be expecting the person who made it to now withdraw it and he should apologise to the workforce for what he said."

Total and CHC said they were talking about the EC225 model, and not the model that crashed on Friday, killing Sarah Darnley, 45, of Elgin, Gary McCrossan, 59, of Inverness, Duncan Munro, 46, from Bishop Auckland and George Alison, 57, from Winchester.

Rescue teams arrive at the crash site

A spokesman for Total said: "The meeting on the Borgsten Dolphin was one of a series of offshore visits we made ahead of the re-introduction into service of the EC225 helicopter, which had been cleared to fly by the regulatory authorities following a period of suspension.

"We wanted to explain to the workforce the comprehensive package of new safety features the authorities and the helicopter operators had introduced, and to listen to their views and any concerns.

"We were accompanied on these visits by the pilots who actually fly the EC225 to offer their perspective on the situation and explain their own confidence in the aircraft. We believe the vast majority of workers were reassured by what they heard.”

A spokesman for CHC said it understood how the comments may look, following Friday’s accident, but said they had been taken “completely out of context”.

A spokesman said the pilot involved was “speaking from the heart”, adding: “If people heard the whole recording they would understand this pilot was trying to get his message across as a fellow North Sea worker and not a corporate spokesperson.

“This was his genuine, personal endorsement of the aircraft. He was demonstrating his confidence in the EC225. He acknowledged the risks facing them all in getting to, working on and getting home from rigs.

“He spoke about his family and how he wouldn’t risk his own wellbeing, and neither should they. His talk was well-received and several offshore workers came up to him afterwards and commended him.”